Neuromancer (Review)

Neuromancer is a surprisingly prophetic book. Since its 1984 breakthrough release, the content and gritty vision of this novel has augmented many movies, video games, books and TV shows, time and time again. 

Which is not surprising, since the story has depth and substance – both equal measures of a timeless classic. 

Before reading Neuromancer, I recommend you check out William Gibson's prior work in Burning Chrome: a collection of several short stories which includes Johnny Mnemonic. While the movie was... forgetful, the short story has set the foundation for the mind-trip that is Neuromancer. 

Ahead of Cyber-Crime

The story begins with Case, a data thief/hacker who has been crippled by an ex-employer. While burning out the remainder of his funds doing crimes for lowly crooks, Case is offered a job: infiltrating a new artificial intelligence within the Matrix. Augmented with ability enhancing hardware, and paired with a deadly fem cyber-samurai-for-hire, Case is thrown into a high-tech espionage warfare spanning the entirety of Cyberspace. 

If the phrases such as Matrix and Cyberspace seem familiar to you, it's because those very words have been born from Neuromancer's high-tech jargon, and genre defining world. You will not find a post-apocalyptic wasteland in this book. What you will find is a wasteland of another kind: A gritty cyberpunk reality of a near-future where mankind is fused with their technological devices. 

Damaged organs and lost limbs can be fixed and replaced with cybernetics devices. Appearance and age can be sculpted and controlled with crafting and drugs. While some augmentation seems necessary to function in a technologically chronic society, improvement by modification is taken to extremes by some fractions. In this eclectic environment, the characters partake in the ecstasy of a fragmented and delirious society: drug indulgence, weird quirks, and lots of paranoia ensues.

The author uses a lot of made up jargon, with references to places, people and things. This is not a bad thing, but it can get in the way of readability. Sometimes I would stop reading to think about curious tidbits, or specific items, only to forget about them on the following pages. But that is a necessity of an intricate and fully realized world, and the allure of Neuromancer. 

This novel is a place spammed with violent thugs, international corporate entities, military powers, and a digital reality known as the Cyberspace. An electronic realm which can be entered and navigated by skillful tradesman, such as Case. Within this imaginary space, information can be found, implanted and stolen, but only by the most artful of navigators. Outside of Cyberspace, reality seethes in decaying bars, capsule hotels, and cyber black markets. 

A fast-paced trip through a future not too distant, this book will jack into your imagination, and fry your neurons with flair and poise. Get ready to have your reality augmented -- cyberpunk style.